PRINCESS ZAHRA IN NAIROBI2006, September 22: Nairobi, Kenya: Princess Zahra left Nairobi after a full day of meetings earlier on Thursday September 21st at the Aga Khan Pavilion and at the nearby Aga Khan University Hospital in Parklands. Faculty of the AKU and Dr Firoz Rasul the recently appointed president of the AKU as well as Asmita Gillani the CEO of the AKU now based in Nairobi and Mr Yusuf Keshavjee, member of the Board of Trustees attended the high level meetings.

FOUNDATION STONE LAYING CEREMONY OF THE AGA KHAN ACADEMY2006, September 22: Hyderabad, India: Foundation Stone-Laying Ceremony of The Aga Khan Academy. In His SPEECH, His Highness the Aga Khan said: "...social progress can be greatest when aristocracies of class give way to aristocracies of talent – or to use an even better term – to meritocracies (...) the Academies will be serious, focused, rigorous environments – but at the same time they will be spacious and joyous places. They will operate on the cutting edge of knowledge and pedagogy, but they will be rooted in history and steeped in tradition. It is such an institution that I hope to bring to the city of Hyderabad."
[Read the Speech] [Audio Clip]

HH THE AGA KHAN VISITS INDIA2006, September 20-24: India: His Highness the Aga Khan spent 4 days in India. He met officials in Dehli, layed the foundation stone of the AgaKhan Academy in Hyderabad, and also met with his followers.
[Gallery with News, Photos, Video, Speeches]

NEW ISMAILI FACILITY OPENS TODAY 2006, August 30: Gov. Rick Perry and Mayor Pat Evans spoke at the new Ismaili Jamatkhana on Alma Dr. for the building's grand opening. The Ismaili Jamatkhana is a 30,000 sq ft. building that represents the Ismaili philosophy of balance in all aspects of life.
[Plano Courier Star article 1] [Plano Courier Star article 2]

THOUSANDS OF LEBANESE HEADING HOME FROM SYRIA GET WFP FOOD PARCELS 2006, August 16: WFP and UNHCR, along with volunteers from the Aga Khan Foundation and the Syrian Red Crescent Society, are working around-the-clock at the main border crossings.
[World Food Programme] [Malaysia Sun]

UGANDA: SERENA GEARS UP FOR GRAND OPENING 2006, July 25: According to the Managing Director of Serena Hotels, Mr Mahmud Jan Mohamed, the Serena hotel in Uganda will open for public use at the end of this month but will await the official opening by President Yoweri Museveni and His Highness the Aga Khan at the end of the year.
[AllAfrica] [Coast Week Kenya]

HIS HIGHNESS IN UK ATTENDING ASCOT RACES WITH HER MAJESTY, THE QUEEN TO RE-OPEN THE ASCOTS 2006, June 22: His Highness arrived at Rascot in open carriage accompanied by The queen.
[More]

SPEECH: SEARCH FOR KNOWLEDGE ESSENTIAL FOR REVITALISATION OF ISLAMIC CIVILISATIONS 2006, June 15: Speaking at American University in Cairo Commencement, The Aga Khan Urges Students to Look Beyond the Traditional Barriersof both Geography and Culture in Quest for Knowledge.
[Speech] [AUC] [Press Release] [Photos]

AGA KHAN TRUST FOR CULTURE AND THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MALI SIGN A COLLABORATION AGREEMENT 2006, June 7: A Collaboration Agreement was signed by the director of the National Museum of Mali, Samuel Sidibé, and the director general of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), Luis Monreal. The agreement, signed in the presence of His Excellency Cheik Oumar Sissoko, Minister of Culture for Mali, aims to provide the Museum with a new information technology system, as well as improving the conservation facilities of its collections. [Press Release in English]
[Français]

BELLERIVE FOUNDATION TO MERGE WITH THE AGA KHAN FOUNDATION 2006, May 31: His Highness the Aga Khan expressed hope that pluralism can prevail in the Islamic world, in addition to tolerance and pluralism, linguistic pluralism and pluralism in the interpretation of faith.
[More] [Article]

ISMAILI CENTER PLAN APPROVED 2006, May 25: A group of Ismaili Muslims expects to begin construction of a 30,432-square-foot house of worship and center on Shermer Road north of Golf Road by spring of 2007.
[more]

TOLERENCE AWARD AT TUTZING, GERMANY 2006, May 20: The protestant academy of Germany presented the Tolerance Award to His Highness the Aga Khan. The Ceremony took place at Tutzing, South Germany, at Tutzinger Schloss on Saturday May 20th, 2006. The German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeiert conducted the laudatory.
[Photos] [Speech]

SIPA COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY GRADUATION 20062006, May 15: SIPA (School of International and Public Affairs) of Columbia University held their Graduation ceremony on Monday, May 15, 2006, 2:00 p.m. The guest speaker was Prince Karim Aga Khan, Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims and founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network.
[ SIPA] [ Special Tribute] [ Photos] [Speech].

ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCED BETWEEN PRINCE HUSSAIN AGA KHAN AND MISS KRISTIN J. WHITE 2006, April 24: The engagement is today announced between Prince Hussain Aga Khan and Miss Kristin J. White, who adopted the name Khaliya upon embracing Islam. Prince Hussain, the second son of the Aga Khan and Princess Salimah Aga Khan.
[ AKDN]

TRIBUTE TO 'STEADFAST' QUEEN2006, April 23: The Queen's enduring qualities of constancy, serenity and her ability to give the nation "heart" were praised at a special service of thanksgiving to mark her 80th birthday. Among the 700 guests were former prime ministers Baroness Thatcher and Sir John Major, Earl Spencer, the brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, and the Aga Khan.
[ Daily Mail]

VISINDAR WINS RACE2006, April 18: Visindar, trained by André Fabre, is the new favourite for the Vodafone Derby after an impressive win at Longchamp. Fabre said he would leave decisions about Epsom to his owner, the Aga Khan. “He knows everything about the Derby and I know nothing,” Fabre said. The Aga Khan missed this faultless reappearance but spokesman Georges Rimaud said: "Visidar beat nothing but did it very well. We are more than satisfied with his race and you couldn't have asked for more."
[< A href="http://www.ismaili.net/timeline/2006/20060418belfast.html">Belfast Telegraph]

HIS HIGHNESS THE AGA KHAN MEETS WITH PRIME MINISTER SHAUKAT AZIZ2006, April 10: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz met with Prince Karim Aga Khan in Islamabad at the Prime Ministers House to discuss work on a comprehensive plan to tap the tourism potential of the country including simplifying visa and other travel procedures for tourists wanting to visit in the northern areas.
[ Daily Times]

INAUGURATION OF FRENCH MEDICAL INSTITUTION FOR CHILDREN IN KABUL2006, April 8: In Kabul, Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, French First Lady Mme. Bernadette Chirac and His Highness the Aga Khan, Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), today inaugurated the French Medical Institute for Children (FMIC).
[ Press Release in English] [ Press Release in French] [ Speech in French] [ Speech in English] [ AFP] [ Photos]

SERENA IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN JULY 11th2006, March 28: Prince Amyn Aga Khan toured the site of the scenic Kampala Serena Hotel, now undergoing renovation, ahead of its opening on July 11.
[ New Vision Online]

THE AGA KHAN WELCOMES HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES TO AL AZHAR PARK2006, March 20: His Highness the Aga Khan welcomes HRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to Al-Azhar Park. The Royals commence a 3 week tour to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and India.
[News]

THE AGA KHAN VISITS CAIRO2006, March 19: His Highness the Aga Khan arrived at the Khayrbek Complex, being restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
[News]

THE AGA KHAN VISITS SYRIA2006, March 18-19: His Highness the Aga Khan begins a two-day visit official visit to Aleppo, Syria, to attend an inauguration ceremony marking the recognition of Aleppo as a “Capital of Islamic Culture.” The ceremony was attended by Syrian Prime Minister, Mohamed Naji Al-Otri, Syria’s Minister for Culture, Dr. Riad Naasan Agha, various Cultural Ministers from the Arab World, and other dignitaries.
[News]

THE AGA KHAN VISITS WASHINGTON2006, March 15: His Highness the Aga Khan attended the the inaugural concert of Via Kabul: Central Asia Without Borders at the Freer Gallery’s Meyer Auditorium in Washington, U.S. A. He was joined by dignitaries from Washington’s political, diplomatic, legal and cultural fields.
[Press Release]

AGA KHAN ROYAL TOLEDO FOUNDATION AWARD2006, March 2: His Highness the Aga Khan today accepted an award from the Royal Toledo Foundation (Real Fundación de Toledo) for work in the preservation and revitalisation of historic cities in the Islamic world. His Majesty Juan Carlos I, Patron of the Foundation, made the formal presentation of the Award.
[Press Release] [Speech] [Spanish Release] [EuroWeeklyNews] [Photos]

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IS AN INCOMPLETE VALUE UNLESS IT IS USED HONOURABLY, SAYS THE AGA KHAN2006, February 21: Most of us seek societies that are at once plural and peaceful - a goal that is important but also elusive. For even our best efforts to combine stability with modernity seem to be constantly disrupted.
[Globe and Mail]

AGA KHAN DISCUSSES ETHICAL STANDARDS AS A KEY TO STABILITY OF THE MODERN DEMOCRACIES2006, February 12: Modern societies must improve the rigour and relevance of their educational curricula, strengthen the institutions of civil society and build a strong ethical framework of tolerance and respect if they are to be stable and secure democracies, able to protect the interests of their citizens, His Highness the Aga Khan said today.
[Speech] [Press Release] [Photos]

AGA KHAN PROPOSES CONFERENCE ON "ENABLING ENVIRONMENT" FOR AFGHANISTAN DEVELOPMENT2006, January 31: Representatives from 70 countries met in London to sign what is being called the Afghanistan Compact. The meeting hosted by Blair and Karzai focuses on reconstruction. Condolezza Rice sitting beside the Aga Khan announced a new $1.2 billion aid package. The Aga Khan's development agencies are major players in the Afghan development process.
[Press Release] [Speech] [Opening Speech] [Transcript] [Associated Press]